


Sooth These Aches

by Carerra_os



Series: Stommy Tumblr Stories [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Steve Harrington has a cold, Tommy Hagan takes care of Steve Harrington
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:35:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26368060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carerra_os/pseuds/Carerra_os
Summary: Steve is a sick mess, and Tommy takes care of him.-"You're allergic to that one." Steve hears someone say, barely registering it beyond tuning in to a familiar voice. "You're allergic to that one." They say again and this time Steve gets that he is being talked to as a hand curls over the back of his neck. "You're burning up." Steve blinks eyes focusing in on Tommy looking at him with concern, lets himself be pulled away from the line.
Relationships: Tommy Hagan/Steve Harrington
Series: Stommy Tumblr Stories [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1916083
Comments: 4
Kudos: 59





	Sooth These Aches

**Sooth These Aches**

Steve feels like shit, he just wants to be in bed under all of the blankets he owns but he is all out of medicine. He tried to get Robin to pick some up for him, even called her at work much to Keith's disapproval, not that it helped, she does not get off for several hours. Steve had tried waiting, but his head hurts so much, and his eyes burn, ears feeling clogged and he just wants some relief.

So he gets in his car, eyes squinting against the harsh glare of the sun, sweat pricking at his brow as he heads to the drugstore. Thankfully it is not far, he definitely side swipes one of his neighbor’s mailboxes, he is sure to be hearing about that later but luckily that is the only hiccup on the way.

The temperature is more bearable inside the building, but the fluorescent lights are just as unpleasant as the sun had been. Steve scoops up a basket as the sweat dampening his skin starts to cool and a chill starts to set in. Steve has found no relief from the constant fluctuation between hot and cold, and he wishes he had thought to bring a sweater as a shiver comes. Steve dumps a few things in his basket on his way to the medicine aisle, a can of soup, some crackers, a box of sour candies that his sore throat is not going to appreciate.

The throb in his head gets worse by the time he makes it to the designated cold and flu section, the words on the printed labels blurring together. Steve groans, eyes pricking with frustration as he takes a moment to lean his head against the shelf, the metal cool as heat pricks over him again. It does not help his blurry vision though and he throws the first box his hand touches into the little basket and heads to wait in the line forming down one of the center aisles.

"You're allergic to that one." Steve hears someone say, barely registering it beyond tuning in to a familiar voice. "You're allergic to that one." They say again and this time Steve gets that he is being talked to as a hand curls over the back of his neck. "You're burning up." Steve blinks eyes focusing in on Tommy looking at him with concern, lets himself be pulled away from the line.

"Tommy." Steve croaks out, feels like crying, he is tired and achy and he just wants to curl in a ball, he does not want to be here any longer.

"Still never learned to take care of yourself huh boss." Tommy says casually hand a little tighter around the back of Steve’s neck before loosening, fingers absently petting at where Steve's hair is getting long. "Let's get you the right stuff before you kill yourself."

"Tommy." Steve says again as he takes the basket from him, looking through the contents with a disapproving huff of air. "Tommy." Steve cannot seem to work any other word out of his mouth, feels so shitty, but having Tommy here taking care of him like old times, makes he feel like it is going to be okay, like he is not about to keel over. Steve is pretty sure he is crying but it could just be sweat dripping down his face again, there has been a lot of both over the last couple of days. 

"Hush Stevie." Tommy pulls him in close, lets Steve curl his arms around his neck and just holds him for a few minutes. No one bats an eye at them, Steve's been sick in here plenty of times over the years, always gets weepy and clingy and nine times out of ten Tommy is with him, the town is used to this particular display even if it has been a while. "Let's get you sorted so you can go home and rest." Tommy says against Steve's shoulder and Steve's arms go tighter, definitely tears now.

"Tommy" Steve says desperation in his scratch voice, worry of being left alone making his throat tighten, the ache worse.

"Yeah I'll come with you, calm down Stevie." Tommy says softly, hands stroking at Steve's hair and that tightness recedes, letting him breath again as Tommy awkwardly walks down the aisle. More soup is added and some apple sauce, the crackers changed out for a different brand, Steve totally forgot he does not like the other kind, he feels heat in his cheeks for a reason other than fever, warmed that Tommy had not forgotten.

"Tommy." Steve says, complaint to his tone when Tommy goes to put the sour candies back, he wants them, he does not care that they will hurt.

Steve can practically feel the eye roll Tommy does as he huffs in exasperation, "fine but you can't have them till you're feeling better." He says as he drops them back in the basket, smacking Steve's hand away when he tries to add a second box. "Absolutely not." Steve hides his pout against Tommy's hair as they move back toward the cold and flu section.

Steve just shuts his eyes against the bright fluorescent lights, and trusts Tommy to take care of it as once again a chill shoots through him. He does not open them as Tommy shuffles them along the aisles, replacing the medicine with one Steve is not allergic to, adding pain relievers and several bags of cough drops before pulling them back toward the line. 

"Need your wallet." Tommy says when they are at the front of the line and everything has been rung up. Steve mumbles Tommy's name again, squirming and Tommy just gives a small laugh as he digs Steve's wallet out of his back pocket and hands the money to the cashier. 

Steve is still clinging to Tommy when they make it outside, the heat of the sun on his back and the too hot air makes him groan as he starts going hot again. "You’re going to have to let go so I can drive boss." Tommy says, Steve grumbles a complaint, whining a little as he pulls back and cracks an eye open, too much bright light. Tommy takes the opportunity to push him into the passenger seat, jogging around to the driver’s side.

"Hands to yourself while I'm driving." Tommy says firmly but with a little laugh at the end when Steve tries to reach for him again. It is all so painfully familiar, it makes his throat tight again. Steve pouts, throat all ache again as he tucks his hands between his thighs, skin feeling slick and clammy at the same time and he hates it. "Won't be long." Tommy drops a hand against his knee and, Steve feels a little better for it. 

"Tommy?" Steve says when they pull up in front of his house.

"Said I'd come with you boss, meant I was staying, at least for a while." Tommy grabs the bags and gets out, Steve scrambling to follow after him. He will take whatever Tommy will give him right now. Tommy takes his keys when Steve offers them and lets Steve wrap around him again as they make their way into the house.

"Alright first things first, medicine, drink this." Steve does not realize he has zoned out until Tommy is prying his arms from around him and holding up two pills and a glass of water. Steve takes them dutifully, frowning when he is handed a little medicine cap full of brownish red liquid next. "It'll help, drink it." Tommy says tone hard in a way that always makes Steve listen.

Steve does not like the taste of it, chugs half the water down after he has drained the cap. "Good boy." Tommy says, back to Steve as he cleans out the cap and replaces it on the medicine bottle, missing the renewed flush staining Steve's cheeks. Tommy still smirks a little when he turns back around. "Go take a shower, I'll make you some soup."

"Tommy." Steve complains and tries to wrap around him again, always likes physical contact when he is not feeling well.

"No," Tommy dances out of reach and Steve stumbles when he tries to make chase, pain shooting through his head as he grabs the counter to keep from falling. "You'll feel better after a shower Stevie." Tommy is right there again, pushing back Steve's sweaty fringe, hand cooler than the heat coming off of his skin.

"Tommy." Steve tries, pressing in a little closer, a firm hand at his shoulder keeping him at bay.

"No, plus you kind of smell right now, know you hate being smelly and sweaty, go take a shower. Be good and I'll even change your sheets while you're in there." Tommy knows exactly how to get Steve to cooperate, and he is right Steve feels disgusting, he is pretty sure if he could actually smell anything he would not be happy about it.

Steve pouts as he trudges upstairs, stopping half way up for a short break as his legs threaten to give out and he is panting for air, leaning his aching head against the banister as he listens to Tommy move around the kitchen with familiarity. When he once again does not feel quite so winded and wobbly legged Steve finishes the track upstairs. Striping his clothes and leaving them on the floor instead of stuffing them in the hamper, not willing to risk bending down and having his head erupt in more pain.

The water is blissfully hot when Steve gets in, the bathroom filling up with steam and for the first time in days Steve feels like he can breathe properly again. Unfortunately that means he can also smell himself and he cannot remember the last time he showered. Steve washes his hair and scrubs himself down twice until everything smells like soap. The water is still warm by the time he finishes and he does not really fancy the idea of getting out, tired and currently not in pain Steve lets himself slide to the bottom of the tub curling up, he will just rest for a moment.

"Stevie you can't sleep in the shower." Steve wakes to Tommy dragging him out of the shower, the water off, a slight chill in the air. Steve's skin feels too cold and Tommy feels warm as he tries to wrap around him again, feet slipping on the slick tile floor. Tommy does not let him fall, somehow managing to get a towel between them despite Steve's attempts to cling to him.

Steve just whines when Tommy pulls away again after securing the towel around Steve's waist. "Got to get your hair dry Stevie." Tommy points out coming back with a second towel spread out over both hands. Steve leans into it, hands on Tommy's waist as Tommy scrubs at his hair with the towel, getting out as much moisture as he can. 

"Let's get you into some clothes and me into some dry ones since you got me all wet." Tommy shakes his head as Steve clings to him as soon as he drops the towel from his hair. Tommy just walks them to Steve's room, where the bed has been made, the sheets changed, a small pile of soft sleep clothes on the end corner. 

"Put those on." Tommy says ignoring the whine Steve lets out when he pushes him toward the bed. "Not going anywhere, just going to dig out some clothes to borrow." Tommy says when Steve's fingers tangle in the hem of his shirt, "get dressed and get under the blankets you'll be more comfortable." Tommy says again untangling Steve's fingers and heading for the dresser.

Steve struggles into his clothes, but leaves the pants off, instead choosing just boxers and the sweater as heat starts licking at him again. He tosses the blankets down and only pulls one up over his legs, sleeves pushed up to his elbows as Tommy tosses his deodorant at him. Steve hums in thanks applying some before tossing it back when Tommy holds his hands out expectantly.

"Tommy!" Steve's voice goes a little high scraping at the tender rawness of his throat when Tommy moves to the door.

"Just going to get your soup, be right back." Tommy says walking out and Steve is pouting again but he settles back against the pile of pillows Tommy gathered from all over the house. Steve picks at a loose thread on a blanket as the chills come back, and his nose starts to stuff again, frustratedly pulling the rest of the blankets up and contemplating pulling pants on after all. 

Tommy comes back in before he can make up his mind with a tray, two cups, one containing soup the other tea and a sleeve of crackers. Tommy sets the tray over Steve’s lap taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "Eat up." Tommy pushes the soup cup a little closer to Steve.

Steve does as he is told, and swallowing is painful but the heat of it also helps a little. He was not aware of how hungry he was until the cup is empty, crackers untouched. His throat definitely hurts too much to give them a try. "Drink the tea, there's honey in it, it'll help with your throat. I'm going to take everything else back downstairs." Tommy does not give Steve a chance to protest before he is out the door.

Steve stares at the door longingly as he sips the tea, he has never really liked tea but Tommy always makes it for him when he is sick. It is sweet though, Steve can barely taste the actual leaf water under all of the honey in it and it goes down easy, coating his throat. Steve has finished the whole cup by the time Tommy gets back. 

"Lie down and get some sleep." Tommy says taking the glass and putting it on the nightstand next to a bottle of water he brought up with him. Tommy pulls the blankets up holding them while he waits for Steve to shift down to his back.

Steve grabs Tommy's hand afraid he is going to leave, he really does not want that. "Tommy, stay." The first thing other than Tommy's name he has bothered with, clutching one of Tommy's hands.

"Stevie” Tommy stars.

Steve shakes his head, groaning as the throb starts back up eyes pricking. "Please!" Tommy purses his lips, letting the blankets drop as he smoothes a hand over Steve's brow.

"Fine, scoot over." Steve immediately moves to make room for him, waiting until Tommy has gotten comfortable to roll over and curl to him, head going to his chest.

"I missed you." Steve murmurs, cringing when Tommy lets out a disbelieving huff. "No I did, and I'm sorry, I've missed you so much." Steve has got tears in his eyes again, his throat hurting worse with each word. 

Tommy's arms go tighter as he shushes Steve. "Tell me when you aren't sick and I'll believe you alright."

"Okay." Steve sniffles bottom lips trembling against Tommy's chest.

"Get some rest, I'm not going anywhere." Tommy drops a kiss against his hair and Steve believes him, believes he will be here when Steve wakes up. Tommy has never lied to him. "Sleep." Tommy says with another gentle kiss, this one just at the edge of Steve's hairline, almost on skin and Steve turns his face up hoping for more.

"When you feel better.” Is Tommy's soft fond answer, hand petting through Steve's hair. Steve huffs annoyed but his eyes are drooping shut, head feeling heavy from the medicine and he is drifting off before he can argue.

  
  


**-End**

**Author's Note:**

> https://ghostofjellyfishforgotten.tumblr.com/


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